The fact that The Dandy Warhols could play such a strong tracklist for two straight hours and still leave out some of their arguably best tracks (“Cool as Kim Deal” or “Minnesoter” for example) only serves as a further testament to both their longevity and quality as a band that so few others in the music industry are able to proffer. It also led to an unforgettable show.
We’re in an age where it seems each and every day a new band forms and the challenge sometimes becomes to create something refreshing and new as well as distinctly memorable from both the wreckage and glory of the long history of music. In Two Door Cinema Club, you won’t find too much that is new right now but you will spot a potential in the band in terms of their catchy energy and their rising fan base.
It was inspiring beyond anything I expected to see the 52-year-old singer — who has endured criminal charges, lawsuits, physical assaults, and much abuse in his time — performing with all the vitality and passion that he brought to the stage in the 1980’s.
OFF! brings Old Skool Punk Rawk back at a blistering show in NYC
A cold blast of metal blows in, featuring the first post-Celtic Frost work of Tom Warrior and black metal from Norway in the form of 1349.
With all of the Shes & Hims out there with their male troubadour leading the non-musician ingenue by the hand, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan are a refreshing change of pace. Their performance is disarming and captivating.
It’s always fun to see a band two nights in a row. The extra night allowed them to spread their wings and play songs from all of their records.
It was a fun, dystopian beach party disguised as a concert.
More praiseful prose and phlattering photographs: the Teenage Fanclub lovefest continues.
The return of Chapterhouse hits all the right notes.
Roger Waters rebuilds The Wall and changes the theme from self absorption to anti-war.
Jello’s back in action, expect blood, oil and donuts.
It goes without saying that Teenage Fanclub, Glasgow’s power pop darlings know their way around a stage. They have two decades worth of experience behind them and it shows. When they play a song live whether it’s from their most recent album, 2010’s Shadows or all the way back to 1991’s Bandwagonesque, their dynamic stage presence can’t be denied. Even more so apparent, however, is their genuine love for music and a passion that helps them put on one of the top shows you’ll see all year.
“The story of Death is the story of two cities- Detroit and Burlington”, said Bobby Hackney, which is why Burlington was lucky enough to be one of the few cities to witness Death live.
Bad Religion reinforces their legendary status while the Circle Jerks give their critics more fodder.
The three-guitar arrangement was not overkill at all. Each player carved out his own space within the framework of the songs.
Openers Wild Nothing completely stole the show, though a much smaller (and very young) audience was on hand to view their set.
I just hope that it doesn’t take them another five years to come back here!
She can really play it, she can really lay it down. Not a household name, but she’s been in your head all day. It would be so cool to be like Laura, Laura Veirs.
The sound of rhythmic industriousness filled the Trocadero Theatre on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. A day after the release of their new album My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky, Swans played their first show in 13 years.
A big, big rock ‘n’ roll show, just the right size in fact, not so big that the band’s personality diffuses in the arena air before it reaches the back row.
I was pleasantly surprised when they played “Losing My Edge” as I know they don’t typically perform it live and haven’t for years.
To say that Superchunk is a great live band may be the understatement of this young century.
It’s no wonder that lead singer of Titus Andronicus, Patrick Stickles, has cited Bruce Springsteen as an influence. Both NJ natives have a sense of anthemic rock that has the ability to be widely embraced with passion from all who are lucky enough to hear it.
I was left satisfied, though of course wondering what it would’ve been like to have seen them in the ’90s and in a smaller place.
Everyone left happy, satisfied and slightly (or not so slightly!) drunk!
A second consideration of the Pavement reunion tour, but mostly an excuse for some excellent photos.
Pavement‘s money grab should be commended, not condemned. I consider myself lucky that they cared enough to cash in.
A who’s who of Vancouver punk rock luminaries past and present descended on the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, BC, Canada for former Black Flag singer Ron Reyes’s 50th birthday celebration on Saturday, July 24, 2010.
You can always expect a sing-along at a show by any musician who recorded a great song in the year 1984, but this one’s opening lines (“I was 21 years when I wrote this song / I’m 22 now but I won’t be for long”), and simple, permanent arrangement made it quite a bit more transcendent than the average.
Yankovic wisely made a point of keeping things current with a fresh batch of funny material. “Skipper Dan” described a failed thespian, doomed to a soul-destroying life of corny jokes as a riverboat guide on Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise attraction. Recent parody “You’re Pitiful” gave a more memorable upgrade to James Blunt’s maudlin “You’re Beautiful.”
With no opener and wasting not a second, they opened with “Raw Power”, which led right into “Search and Destroy”.
It goes without saying that This Will Destroy You know exactly how to command attention.
Lou was Lou, Wye Oak killed, and Young Man are on their way.
The second day of the celebration of thirty years of The Big Takeover, forcefully capped by imposing performances from For Against and Mark Burgess.
This was as close to the real thing as we’re ever likely to get given the relations between DEAN WAREHAM and his GALAXIE 500 bandmates.
Even more exciting, he announced the possibility of writing new songs with the new lineup.
The National have proven to be one of the more commanding live acts and singer Matt Berninger a most unlikely rock star.
Still, for as tired as the past few days had made me, it was worth it to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event.
After a rousing introduction by JACK RABID, THE AVENGERS ripped into “We Are the One“and just dominated from that point forward.
Day one of The Big Takeover’s 30th Anniversary Party, held at The Bell House and featuring sets from The Avengers, Channel 3, Visqueen, Springhouse and more.
The New Pornographers came to the windy city with their full lineup and regaled the crowd with their special brand of indie pop rocks.
Punk Rawk hits Lawn Guyland as Social Distortion takes the stage in Wantagh.
Kurt Vile with a slightly revamped Violators lineup pair with the shimmery breeze of Real Estate.
The “Detroit Breakdown” hits New York and four of Motown’s legendary bands add to the heat in NYC on a sweltering summer day.
It was a great honor and a pleasure to be able to provide music before, between, and after the great bands that played the first night of the Big Takeover’s 30th Anniversary festival at Bell House. Here are my playlists, with the performing bands also listed to provide context.
The Batusis kick ass in Brooklyn and release an e.p.
Their hour and a half set was packed with classic songs and the crowd were on their feet from the opening notes of “Black Coffee in Bed”.
There are songwriters and there are storytellers. Craig Finn is a storyteller. Half the fun of a Hold Steady show, especially in Minneapolis, is listening to Finn’s stories and reminiscences.
This sounded like such a cool idea that I had to go: a satellite broadcast of The Big Four of 80’s thrash — Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax — beamed down live to movie theaters around the world from the Sonisphere Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria.
